A remotely adjustable check-valve array with an electrochemical release mechanism for implantable biomedical microsystems

摘要

In this paper, we present a remotely adjustable check-valve array with an electrochemical release mechanism for implantable biomedical microsystems. A SU-8 polymer layer deposited on the top of a gold sacrificial layer was used as the valve structural material. A constant DC current obtained via a telemetry link was used to electrochemically dissolve the gold sacrificial layer and activate the valves. 3/spl times/3 and 4/spl times/4 arrays each containing three different size valves (50/spl times/50, 100/spl times/100 and 200/spl times/200 /spl mu/ m/sup 2/) were fabricated and tested. A current density of 35 mA/cm/sup 2/ resulted in the dissolution of a 3000/spl Aring/ gold sacrificial layer in 30 seconds with the final release completed in 1-2 minutes.